


Light in the Dark

by MoonytheMarauder1



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Voldemort Wins, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Hope, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Regret
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:54:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23661145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonytheMarauder1/pseuds/MoonytheMarauder1
Summary: The war is over, but it wasn't Harry who won. Draco is trying to atone for past mistakes, but he really can't regret them all when they led him to Percy Weasley.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Percy Weasley
Kudos: 19





	Light in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, y'all! This has been moved over from ffn. We need all the PercyDraco fics, my loves. All of them.

The world had become a cold, soulless place, but Draco could still see the beauty in it when he looked at Percy Weasley.

His boyfriend was currently unpacking his belongings, having just moved into Draco's chambers at Malfoy Manor. It was risky having him there—Percy would have to be hidden at all times—but Draco couldn't bear the thought of leaving the man at the mercy of the Snatchers still roaming around.

It had been three years since Harry Potter had died. Two and a half years since the Malfoys secretly joined the opposite side. One year since he and Percy had begun dating.

Draco shivered. The war… it was so awful. He believed in blood purity—a part of him always would—but inflicting pain on Muggles and Muggleborns was too much. Knowing that if he refused to take part in the torture he or his family would be killed—that was crossing the line.

His mother had been the first to propose joining the Order, tired of constantly fearing for her family's safety. His father, full of memories of Azkaban, had agreed that the stakes were too high.

They certainly weren't safer joining the Order, but now that they were doing the right thing, the risk felt worth it.

Percy glanced up, his blue eyes peering worriedly at Draco. "Love? What's wrong?"

Draco shook his head. "Nothing. Just—the war."

Percy's face softened with understanding. He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, baring his right forearm. The familiar soulmark—identical to Draco's and depicting a young tree—stood out starkly on Percy's pale, freckled arm. "We'll be okay," the older man murmured. "Together, we'll be okay."

Draco wrapped his arms around himself and looked away, his grey eyes heavy. "I just miss you," he admitted, trying hard not to view the words as a weakness—he'd promised Percy he'd be honest. "I miss us. Or, what… what we could have been if…" He trailed off.

Percy understood, though. He made his way over to Draco, gently uncrossing his arms and taking Draco's cold hands in his own. He began massaging them softly, warming the fingers right up.

"One day, this will be over." Percy's lips quirked. "Then we'll be a normal couple. Everything will be okay again."

He was scared stiff, but Draco tried for some sarcastic humor. "You're in a relationship with me. Everything will never be okay."

Percy snorted and glanced into his lover's eyes. His glasses were askew, which Draco thought was adorable. "Let's finish unpacking," he suggested.

Draco sighed, but agreed. He followed Percy to the small bag he'd been able to bring, charmed to hold more than it should, and began placing books among his own collection. They worked for several minutes, putting away clothes and small objects, when Percy let out a small laugh.

Draco turned, brows raised. "What?"

Percy walked over until he was standing next to his boyfriend. He held out the small object in his hand.

"I didn't even realize I packed this," he muttered. "It's so strange to think about… I was so proud of it then, and now, well. It seems like such a silly thing."

It was his prefect badge, red with a large gold 'P' on the front. Draco cocked an eyebrow. "How so? It was still an accomplishment."

Percy's blue eyes darkened. "An accomplishment that only fueled my ambition," he said, his voice bitter and dripping with regret. "This thing… it was the start of it all, in a way. I was so caught up in my career—at finally surpassing my brothers at something—that I estranged myself from my family and put my faith in the Ministry. If I hadn't… who knows what might have been different?"

Draco knew what he was thinking. Though he'd never liked the Weasley clan much, he could only imagine what losing a brother had felt like.

Pride was a vice he and Percy shared. It had caused so many problems… but Draco couldn't help but feel that maybe, just maybe, it was the reason they were standing where they were now: together.

Draco plucked the badge from Percy's fingers. "I don't think there's anything wrong with pursuing a career." His eyes met his boyfriend's. "No one can fault you that."

"No," Percy agreed quietly, "but they _can_ fault me for losing sight of what's important." He glanced back at Draco. "Wouldn't you change the mistakes you made?"

Honesty. He'd promised Percy honesty.

He cleared his throat and spoke slowly. "I can't really call it a mistake when I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat." He took Percy's hand and squeezed. "Joining the Death Eaters led me to you, after all."

A flush colored Percy's cheeks. His gaze dropped to their soulmarks, watching as the branches stretched longer and the roots grew thicker. He smiled. "I can't really complain about the end result, either."

Draco set down the badge. It was a symbol of their doom; it was a symbol of their hope. "Life is tricky," he said softly. Then he turned to the older man. "Your family is in hiding with the Notts, Zabinis, Greengrasses, and Parkinsons." The Malfoys hadn't been the only family to turn their backs on their lord. "They'll be okay."

Percy's face contorted in pain, and he removed his hand from Draco's grip to pull at his curly red hair. "We don't know that. We can't know that."

Draco saw how insecure he was, saw how hopeless he felt, and knew there was nothing he could do about it but offer empty promises. So that's what he did.

"We'll look for them—we'll find them, when this is all over. You were separated for your safety." He pulled Percy into his arms, despite the fact that the other man was taller than him, and tucked Percy's head beneath his chin. "They'll be okay. I promise. In the meantime, my family will keep you safe."

Percy pulled back slightly so he could peck Draco on the lips. "Thank you," he murmured.

Draco began pulling them backwards, towards the bed. He shoved Percy's bag of belongings away moments before they fell onto the mattress. Their lips locked together, and they shared a few desperate kisses before pulling apart.

Draco stared at his flushed, panting boyfriend and knew then and there that nothing in the world could ever be as beautiful. It was a sentimental thought he didn't often have, but he knew it to be true.

Percy Weasley was beautiful. No one could convince him otherwise.

The bed was large enough that they could both comfortably lie on it, so Draco pulled the duvet over them both and rested his head on Percy's chest. Before he fell asleep, though, his eyes landed on that prefect badge again. He glanced towards his own, displayed proudly on his desk, and frowned. He'd used it to abuse authority then—to lord over others.

He knew what that felt like now, to the worst extreme; the Dark Lord was not merciful. The badges hadn't stood for the right things—for him or for Percy—then. One day, Draco resolved, they would remedy that.

He looked up at Percy's face—the other man was fast asleep—and smiled. He'd do anything for the man in his arms. Absolutely anything.

They would come out of this all right. They had to.


End file.
